U.S. and Canada Summer Box Office Poised to Reach $4 Billion, Thanks to Blockbusters like Fantastic Four and Freakier Friday

With a string of anticipated releases and high expectations for Disney and Universal, the summer movie season is on track to hit a significant milestone, continuing its post-pandemic box office recovery.

The U.S./Canada summer box office is on track to surpass the $4 billion mark, a feat not seen since the pandemic’s onset. According to Comscore, this achievement is largely driven by a series of high-profile releases, including Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four: First Steps, Universal’s The Bad Guys 2, and the eagerly awaited Freakier Friday sequel. With more potential blockbusters lined up, this summer could mark a banner year for the film industry, reaffirming its strong recovery and appeal post-pandemic.

Box Office Breakdown:
Disney is set to close out the summer with its final $100M+ opener of the season, Fantastic Four: First Steps. Slated for release on July 25, the movie is expected to perform between $100M-$110M in its opening weekend. Early presales have been strong, with $13M already secured as of Monday, outpacing previous Marvel entries like Thunderbolts and Captain America: Brave New World. While some have speculated about Disney’s nerves, the current stats indicate otherwise. Fantastic Four is poised to outperform expectations, especially given the strong pedigree of MCU Boss Kevin Feige and director Matt Shakman. While the highest opening for a Fantastic Four film has been $58M (2007’s Silver Surfer), this new version has greater buzz, fueled by positive reviews and a revitalized approach.

Anticipated Releases and Market Impact:
In addition to Fantastic Four, several other key films are expected to contribute significantly to the box office. Universal’s The Bad Guys 2 is projected to open around $20M, while The Naked Gun, a reboot starring Liam Neeson, is forecasted to bring in about $15M. Comedies have been few and far between in the post-streaming, post-Covid era, so The Naked Gun’s success could signal a revival for big-screen comedies. With strong appeal among audiences over 25, Neeson’s turn as a bumbling cop has already generated significant interest.

Further down the pipeline, New Line’s Weapons and Disney’s Freakier Friday sequel are generating excitement, each with projections over $25M. Weapons, a disturbing horror film, has built intrigue through its eerie visuals and marketing stunts. Meanwhile, the Freakier Friday sequel is riding high on nostalgia, appealing to millennial audiences who have recently flocked to other nostalgic hits like Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon.

Industry Expert Insights:
Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian highlighted that the 2025 summer season has benefited from a series of hit releases, including a major Marvel movie, a record-breaking Memorial Day weekend, and an unrelenting stream of appealing films each week. With this impressive lineup, he’s confident the summer will exceed the pre-pandemic standard of $4 billion in total box office revenue. By the time Labor Day arrives, the industry expects to have surpassed this benchmark, marking a monumental achievement for the film industry’s post-pandemic recovery.

With a robust slate of upcoming releases and a strong performance across genres, the 2025 summer movie season is shaping up to be one for the record books. From Marvel to comedy, horror, and family-friendly films, audiences are clearly flocking back to theaters, and the box office is poised to hit the coveted $4 billion milestone, further solidifying the ongoing revival of the movie industry.